Page 41 of Alien Warlord's Fury
I backed toward a section of unstable ruins, drawing both guardians with me. The humanoid construct lunged, and I pivoted, letting it crash into a crumbling column. Stone fragments rained down, momentarily disorienting it.
The bestial guardian charged. I counted the timing in my head, then struck precisely as Claire had instructed—driving my blade into its left flank just as its energy shield flickered. The construct staggered, energy crackling across its surface.
Behind me, Claire's markings blazed brighter as she channeled energy into the conduit. I felt her strain through our bond, a pressure building in my chest that wasn't my own.
"How much longer?" I called, narrowly avoiding the recovered humanoid guardian's attack.
"Almost... there..." Claire's voice was strained, each word pushed through gritted teeth.
The bestial guardian recovered, circling more cautiously now. Both constructs moved to flank me again, their tactics adapting.
"The big one's head!" Claire shouted suddenly. "There's a crack in its armor—right at the base of the skull!"
I feinted toward the humanoid guardian, then spun, using the momentum to launch myself at the bestial construct. My blade found the weakness Claire had spotted, driving deep into the crack at the base of its skull. The guardian convulsed, energy discharging wildly.
"Get down!" I shouted, diving behind a fallen column as the bestial guardian erupted in a shower of stone and metal fragments.
The humanoid guardian paused, its sensors scanning the area as if confused by its companion's destruction. I used the moment to glance toward Claire.
Her entire body glowed with silver light, markings extending beyond their normal patterns as she poured energy into the conduit. Through our bond, I could feel her pain—a burning sensation that traveled along my own lifelines.
"Claire!"
"Almost... done..." she gasped.
The remaining guardian located me and charged. I rolled to my feet, leading it away from Claire, buying her the time she needed. My tail held stiffly behind me, acting as a counterbalance.
"Its core is exposed when it attacks!" Claire called, her voice strained. "Center mass—it pulses red!"
I backed against a wall, letting the guardian close in. As it raised its arms to strike, I saw what Claire had described—a pulsing red core momentarily visible through a gap in its chest armor.
I lunged forward, driving my blade directly into the core. The guardian froze, energy crackling across its surface. I twisted the blade, then yanked it free and dove aside as the construct collapsed, its energy signature fading.
Behind me, Claire cried out. I turned to see the conduit pulsing with brilliant light, energy flowing into it from Claire's hands. Her markings had spread across her entire body now, silver light pouring from her eyes and mouth.
"Claire!" I ran to her, reaching for her shoulders. "It's enough!"
"No!" she gasped. "Not... yet..."
I felt what she was doing through our bond—not just overloading the conduit, but redirecting its energy flow, creating a feedback loop that would cascade through Hammond's systems. Brilliant, but dangerous. Too dangerous.
"You're pushing too hard," I said, gripping her shoulders. "Your markings can't take this strain."
"Have to... finish..." Her voice was barely audible over the hum of energy.
I made a decision. Placing my hands over hers on the conduit, I let my own lifelines flare to life, golden energy flowing to meet her silver. The sensation was electric—our energies merging, strengthening each other.
I channeled my own energy through her, supporting her effort, taking some of the strain onto myself.
The pain was immediate and intense—like fire racing along my lifelines. But I held on, gritting my teeth against the burning sensation. Through our bond, I could feel Claire's surprise, then gratitude, as my energy bolstered hers.
With a final surge, the conduit overloaded. Energy discharged in a blinding flash, racing along the line toward Hammond's compound. In the distance, something exploded with a dull thud that shook the ground beneath our feet.
Claire collapsed against me, her markings fading to faint silver traces. I caught her, lowering her gently to the ground as my own lifelines dimmed.
"Did it work?" she asked, her voice weak.
I looked toward Hammond's compound, where smoke now rose from one section. "Yes. You did it."
